1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a structure of a nail cartridge, and more particularly to an innovative anti-misfit structure for a nail cartridge.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
The nail cartridge is used to accommodate and guide collated nails.
The collated nails are rows of nail bodies linked by a connecting band. Given the currently available types of nailers, the present invention relates more particularly to a nailer with a T-shaped profile, namely, wherein the nails of the nailer have an expanded nail head.
FIG. 1 depicts the typical nail cartridge 10, wherein a nail tank 11 is generally provided with a spring 12 to insert the collated nails for flexible positioning. According to the specified pattern of the nail body, the inlet 13 of the nail tank 11 is formed into a T-shaped inlet to match the collated nails for stable motion. The marketable nail bodies of collated nails are divided into two types. As such, upper and lower T-shaped inlets 131, 132 are located at inlet 13 of nail tank 11 in the nail cartridge 10. If longer collated nails 20a are inserted, as shown in FIG. 1, the nail head 22a of nail body 21a aligns with the upper T-shaped inlet 131 for insertion. Otherwise, if shorter collated nails 20b are inserted, as shown in FIG. 2, the nail head 22b of nail body 21b aligns with lower T-shaped inlet 132 for insertion (as shown for the location of collated nails represented by the broken line in FIG. 2).
This nail cartridge has disadvantages during application. If longer collated nails are inserted and if the maximum size of the inlet of the nail tank matches the longer collated nail, then it is impossible to load nails smoothly because any misalignment or directional errors would affect loading, as shown in FIG. 1. If shorter collated nails 20b are inserted and if inlet 13 of the nail tank 11 has upper and lower T-shaped inlets 131, 132, then it is possible to load the shorter collated nails 20b smoothly into upper T-shaped inlet 131, even with misalignment, as shown in FIG. 2. However, if shorter collated nails are triggered in such a state, the nail ejection strength is far below the expectation due to a longer distance between the bottom of nail body 21b and ejection hole of the nailer. Furthermore, the shorter collated nails triggered in such a state provide a bigger probability of deflection and jamming with increasing instability and risk to nailer applications.
Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve efficacy.
To this end, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products.